Homer Box Set: Iliad & Odyssey

Homer's Iliad and Odyssey are unquestionably two of the greatest epic masterpieces in Western literature. Though more than 2,700 years old, their stories of brave heroics, capricious gods, and towering human emotions are vividly timeless. The Iliad can justly be called the world's greatest war epic. The terrible and long-drawn-out siege of Troy remains one of the classic campaigns. The Odyssey chronicles the many trials and adventures Odysseus must pass through on his long journey home from the Trojan wars to his beloved wife.

David Copperfield [Audible]

Between his work on the 2014 Audible Audiobook of the Year, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel, and his performance of Classic Love Poems, narrator Richard Armitage (The Hobbit, Hannibal) has quickly become a listener favorite. Now, in this defining performance of Charles Dickens' classic David Copperfield, Armitage lends his unique voice and interpretation, truly inhabiting each character and bringing real energy to the life of one of Dickens' most famous characters.

Life of Pi

Pi Patel has been raised in a zoo in India. When his father decides to move the family to Canada and sell the animals to American zoos, everyone boards a Japanese cargo ship. The ship sinks, and 16-year-old Pi finds himself alone on a lifeboat with a hyena, an orangutan, a zebra with a broken leg, and a 450-pound Bengal tiger.

Killers of the King: The Men Who Dared to Execute Charles I

January, 1649. After seven years of fighting in the bloodiest war in Britain's history, Parliament had overpowered King Charles I and now faced a problem: what to do with a defeated king, a king who refused to surrender?Parliamentarians resolved to do the unthinkable, to disregard the Divine Right of Kings and hold Charles I to account for the appalling suffering and slaughter endured by his people.

Grimm's Fairy Stories

A collection of classic Brothers Grimm fairy tales, pulled from Margaret Hunt's 1884 translation. Including: The Little Brother and Little Sister", "Hansel and Gretel", "Oh, If I Could but Shiver!", "Dummling and the Three Feathers", "Little Snow-White", "Frederick and Catherine", "The Valiant Little Tailor", "Little Red-Cap", "The Golden Goose", "Bearskin", "Cinderella", "Faithful John", "The Water of Life", "Thumbling", "Briar Rose", and "The Six Swans," among others.

What a Wonderful World

Why do we breathe? What is money? How does the brain work? Why did life invent sex? Does time really exist? How does capitalism work - or not, as the case may be? Where do mountains come from? How do computers work? How did humans get to dominate the Earth? Why is there something rather than nothing? In What a Wonderful World, Marcus Chown, best-selling author of Quantum Theory Cannot Hurt You and the Solar System app, uses his vast scientific knowledge and deep understanding of extremely complex processes to answer simple questions.

A Place of Greater Safety

A tour-de-force of historical imagination, this is the story of three young men at the dawn of the French Revolution. Georges-Jacques Danton: zealous, energetic, debt-ridden. Maximilien Robespierre: small, diligent, and terrified of violence. And Camille Desmoulins: a genius of rhetoric, charming, handsome, but erratic and untrustworthy. As these key figures of the French Revolution taste the addictive delights of power, they must also come to face the horror that follows.

Three powerful radio productions from the BBC archives starring Ian McKellen, Ronald Pickup and Paul Scofield and a host of celebrated acting talent. These three legendary plays, performed by some of the best-known theatrical actors of the 20th century, are the perfect way to commemorate England's greatest dramatist.

The Spire

Dean Jocelin has a vision: that God has chosen him to erect a great spire on his cathedral. His mason anxiously advises against it, for the old cathedral was built without foundations. Nevertheless, the spire rises octagon upon octagon, pinnacle by pinnacle, until the stone pillars shriek and the ground beneath it swims. Its shadow falls ever darker on the world below, and on Dean Jocelin in particular.From the author of Lord of the Flies, The Spire is a dark and powerful portrait of one man's will, and the folly that he creates.

Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe, published in 1719, was Defoe's first novel and survives as his best-known work. Loosely based on a true account of a Scottish sailor-Alexander Selkirk-it is a tale of one man's fall from grace and progress to redemption. The account of Crusoe's life, scratched out with rationed indigo ink on a dwindling supply of paper salvaged from the hull of a wrecked ship, speaks eloquently of the tenacity and ingenuity of the human spirit.

The Prince

How remarkable that an Italian living in the 15th and 16th centuries should lend his name to a word still in common usage in the English language today. Nicolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) wrote only one major work as a gift for his ruling Prince, Lorenzo de Medici. Machiavelli held office as a senior civil servant for 14 years until the downfall of the Republic in 1512. No longer officially employed to impart advice, instead Machiavelli poured out his ideas and resentment in his writings.

Homage to Catalonia

Homage to Catalonia is George Orwell's account of his experiences fighting in the Spanish Civil War, and a portrait of disillusionment with his early politics. Orwell's experiences include being shot in the neck by a sniper, and being forced into hiding as factions of the Left battled on the streets of Barcelona. Orwell entered Spain intending to gather an experience worth writing as well as to fight Fascism, and wrote Homage to Catalonia within months of his return.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

A natural storyteller and raconteur in his own right - just listen to Paddle Your Own Canoe and Gumption - actor, comedian, carpenter, and all-around manly man Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) brings his distinctive baritone and a fine-tuned comic versatility to Twain's writing. In a knockout performance, he doesn't so much as read Twain's words as he does rejoice in them, delighting in the hijinks of Tom - whom he lovingly refers to as a "great scam artist" and "true American hero".

The English and Their History

In The English and their History, the first full-length account to appear in one volume for many decades, Robert Tombs gives us the history of the English people and of how the stories they have told about themselves have shaped them, from the prehistoric 'dreamtime' through to the present day.

Don Quixote

The most influential work of the entire Spanish literary canon and a founding work of modern Western literature, Don Quixote is also one of the greatest works ever written. Hugely entertaining but also moving at times, this episodic novel is built on the fantasy life of one Alonso Quixano, who lives with his niece and housekeeper in La Mancha. Quixano, obsessed by tales of knight errantry, renames himself 'Don Quixote' and with his faithful servant Sancho Panza, goes on a series of quests.

The Road

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, 2007.America is a barren landscape of smoldering ashes, devoid of life except for those people still struggling to scratch out some type of existence. Amidst this destruction, a father and his young son walk, always toward the coast, but with no real understanding that circumstances will improve once they arrive. Still, they persevere, and their relationship comes to represent goodness in a world of utter devastation.

Robinson Crusoe

Widely regarded as the first English novel, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe is one of the most popular and influential adventure stories of all time. This classic tale of shipwreck and survival on an uninhabited island was an instant success when first published in 1719, and it has inspired countless imitations.

Publisher's Summary

Set and written in 1726, This is a marvelously imaginative tale of the four voyages of Lemuel Gulliver. He finds himself shipwrecked and the prisoner of captors ranging in size from 6 inches tall to 60 feet tall and of various other persuasions. But this is just the beginning of a story written, strangely enough to satirize the foolishness and vices of modern men as they were perceived at the time. No one, young or old, can ever forget the Lilliputians and the Yahoos that starred in these wonderful and riveting stories of long ago.

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was an Irish novelist, satirist, poet and political essayist. From a very literary family, his uncle married the daughter of a godson of William Shakespeare, Swift was very well educated, receiving an MA from Oxford University and a Doctorate in Divinity from Trinity College in Dublin.

An ordained priest in the Established Church of Ireland, Swift began writing satire, inspired by his misery in his profession. Politically active, Swift incurred the enmity of enough British nobles, that his career as a minister was over. Swift began writing novels, while also writing political pamphlets promoting Irish causes.

Swift's best known work, Gulliver's Travels is filled with satiric references to his current events, and was an immediate hit, written anonymously, it had to be smuggled into Ireland. The Queen was not amused.

(P)2004 Alcazar AudioWorks

What the Critics Say

"A masterwork of irony...that contains both a dark and bitter meaning and a joyous, extraordinary creativity of imagination. That's why it has lived for so long." (Malcom Bradbury)"Swift is such a creature of paradox. His prose was like himself, by turns savage, tidy, playful, and ironic. He was a comic genius." (The Economist)

A marvelously fluent and captivating reading, by an English actor, of this historical book by. David Thorn brings the eighteenth century language alive. Marred only by the irritating amateur variations of a sea shanty played clumsily on a keyboard at the end of each chapter (and the occasional edit they've missed).

Written about 300 years ago this story has aged very well and Gulliver's adventures are event today very entertaining. Gulliver's Travels was meant to mock the hordes of books about adventurous travels released at the time which often exaggerated the dangers faced and the belitteled the intellect of the natives encountered. And so Gulliver meets giants, tiny people, horses which rule over men and people living on a floating island. In addition to the entertainment value these episodes hold it is also very interesting to see how critical Jonathan Swift was of English society and values. This criticism is never voiced by the main character directly, but surface through the discussions Gulliver has with the people he meets.

The Audiobook version published by Alcazar AudioWorks features a terrific Narrator which makes the story a joy to listen to.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

Ami

EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN, United States

19/01/11

Overall

"Excellent reading, some recording goofs"

I'm not here to review the novel but to review the reading and recording of it as it's presented here. The reader's English accent is delightful, though, if you're not reading along with the text version, he does slur some words together when he is reading a part quickly. He also doesn't read the text word-for-word at times (substitutions, word order inversions, skipped words) but, so far, not too much and not to affect meaning (much). There are several recording goofs, where the reader rereads words and sentences, but not often. Overall, I've enjoyed reading along with this reader/performer. He does a fine job bringing Cpt. Gulliver to life.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Thomas

MSU, MS, United States

30/01/08

Overall

"So So"

This book is written with wonderful prose and read by a very talented narrator. When I first started the book it was a wonder to sit back and just listen. The story is very imaginative as well. This must be a very early example of the fantasy genre.

I give it 3 stars because the story dragged at times, a lot of times. I did manage to finish it though.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

sam

shreveport, louisiana, United States

29/05/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"A Timeless Tale, Still As Relevent Today"

I had to do a school project about Gulliver's Travels, so naturally audible was my go-to destination. At a low price and high quality, this version was a life-saver! The narrator did a wonderful job bringing Swift's witty social commentary to life, and is (in my opinion anyway) one of the best readers of this book. If you thought you knew Gulliver, get ready for delightful new discoveries, from the flying island of Laputa, to the island of the Houyhnhnms. With remarks just as pointed today as they were when this book was first written over 300 years ago. If you're ready to travel with Gulliver, this is the version you want!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Jim Stewart

Burlington, VT

25/04/10

Overall

"Great Listen"

This was a great audio book. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star was the semi-cheezy breaks in between chapters and the narrator (who does a good job) is a little hard to understand due to an English accent.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Chris

Lansing, MI

13/04/11

Overall

"One of those books"

This is one of those books that people love to talk about but never actually read. At most they read the cliff notes version but let me tell you, you're really missing out on a jewel if you do. The unabridged version is the only way to go and this one does an excellent job. It leaves you with conversational pieces, insight into humanity and culture that you would not have had otherwise. Not to mention that just sticking with the abridged or cliff notes you get the "official" interpretation but you lose the opportunity to think for your self on the dilemmas presented.

The story basically follows the adventures of one guy who ends up shipwrecked on 3 different islands and with each island is presented with a unique situation. One where he ends up a giant, one where he ends up a miniature and one...well...you'll just have to find that one out for yourself.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Robert Cirasa

23/03/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Horrible reader and stupid sound effects."

Horrible reader. Reads in the most halting and irritating way. I suspect he is an American feigning an English accent. And production has irritating large silent gaps and lengthy gratuitous seashore sound effects between chapters. BUT the recording is synced with Kindle edition.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

ICCsidney

Logan, UT

02/02/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Poorly edited"

Phrases were repeated and sound quality is poor. Entertaining satirical stories though. All in all, good read, poor recording. Choose a different source

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

E. Pearson

Idaho

03/12/10

Overall

"Maybe I Expected Too Much"

This was obviously a good book and I'm glad to check if off my list of unread masterpieces. However . . . it still managed to bore me stiff. In analyzing why that might be, I can only conclude that--as with some other universally read classics--I grew up overly exposed to its ingenuity via television, cartoons, ravings of admired teachers. So once I got to Gulliver's living with the Lilliputians--about a third of the way in, I kind of just wanted it all to end. I did admire Swift's ingenuity, and the way the little people treated and worked with the giant. I can see how this was a breakthrough in literary fiction .. . . still, to my shame, I can't say that I really treasured this read. Sorry.

1 of 3 people found this review helpful

Michael

WOODSTOCK, GA, United States

12/01/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"."

What did you love best about Gulliver's Travels?

since there is no way to mark books as read in the library I thought this might be a way to mark them

0 of 3 people found this review helpful

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